‘Wrong Guy’ Accused of North Pulaski St. Shooting, Defense Says

By Andrew Michaels - January 18, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

“They have the wrong guy.”

Defense attorney Amanda Savage did not hesitate when telling the jury that her client, 35-year-old Anton Harris, was not the shooter accused of killing Keith Johnson in broad daylight last May.

“Anton Harris did not have a gun. He had nothing to do with what happened,” Savage said.

Harris’ trial began with opening arguments on Jan. 17 for the alleged murder of the 34-year-old victim. The defendant is facing first-degree murder in addition to three weapons charges.

According to defense counsel, the initial investigation into Johnson’s death was “pure chaos” as no one knew what happened. Not only is there a lack of physical and forensic evidence, but there were also no witnesses of the fatal shooting that occurred on May 4, 2022.

“No one will come into this courtroom and tell you that they saw Anton Harris with a gun or shooting someone,” Savage said. “The only thing that remains consistent is that nobody saw the shooting.”

The jury is expected to hear testimony from an officer with an MTA who pursued Harris, she added, but he is among those who did not see the shooting or the aftermath.

During her opening statement, the prosecutor argued that Harris was the “only person responsible” for Johnson’s death. It was the defendant who got out of a vehicle on the 500 block of North Pulaski Street just after 3 p.m. and shot the victim, she said.

When Harris realized he was being pursued by Baltimore Police, the prosecutor continued, he hid behind a vehicle, fumbled around in his right pocket, and then ran into nearby woods, where he was arrested a short time later.

Police later found the alleged murder weapon near the vehicle Harris hid behind—a gun that was believed to have the victim’s blood on it.

Testimony began Tuesday morning and was expected to continue on Jan. 18 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John Howard.